October 2016 Priceless The VICMOG GAZETTE VICMOG OFFICE BEARERS 2016 The Official Journal of the Victorian Morgan President: Chris Page Owners Group Inc. Reg No: A0029564Y Email: [email protected] Correspondence to: Phone:0418 389793 Registered Address: PO Box 3044 Rowville, VIC 3178 Vice President: Frank Malerba [email protected] Email: [email protected] October 2016 Edition Phone: 0417 898001 CONTENTS Secretary/Public Officer: Ted Houston REPORTS Email: [email protected] From the President 3 Phone: 0438 717303 Secretary's Report 4 Treasurer: Ramsay McKay Social Secretary's Report 5 Email: [email protected] Phone: 0419367312 ARTICLES Social Secretary: Bill Emerson 37 Year Coma 7 Email: [email protected] The Vicmogger and the VP 8 Phone: 0418 427404 September Meeting Report 12 Regalia Officer: Frank Malerba Morgan Miscellany 14 Communications Officer: Brian Hardy For Sale 15 Email: [email protected] Phone : 0408 516988 Check out our website at: www.vicmog.com.au Club Register: Helen Davis (The members password is Plus4 ) and our Facebook page at : Phone: 0425 742064 www.facebook.com/MorganOwnersGroupInc Club Plates: Mike Devine Email: [email protected] EDITOR.......................... Brian Hardy Phone : 0407 946699 PHOTOGRAPHERS............ John Beezley & Ron Bayley Peter ffrench ROVING REPORTERS........ Lyle Honess & Ron Bayley Email: [email protected] CARTOONIST.................Jim Foley Phone: 0411 030151 CONTRIBUTIONS Phil Macwhirter We are always on the lookout for articles of interest Email: [email protected] to our readers. We request that copy be provided Phone :0417 050791 electronically, preferably as a Microsoft Office Word CAMS Delegate Phil Macwhirter document file. Photographs should be sent VP MOCA-Vic: Colin Bartlett separately. Please send all contributions, letters and advertising Committee Member Phil Macwhirter enquiries to the editor to: [email protected] Committee Member: Michael Aisenberg COVER PHOTO Morgan Corner at the Rolls Royce Club annual concours Wesley Glen Waverley campus. 2 Looking forward to catching up with you all before too long Cheers Chris PRESIDENT'S REPORT Hi all, We have come back to Melbourne for a month or so REMEMBERING THE PAST and are set for a busy time. A wife was curious when she found an old Unfortunately I won't be able to get to Ted and Bev's negative in a drawer so she had it made on the 16th. We are having a memorial service for a into a print. good mate of mine up at Wodonga. He rode bikes until he was 78 years old and a few of us want to take him for one last ride, so my next Morgan experience will be the much anticipated high country run at the end of the month. I got the 4/4 carby rebuilt up at Taree and got to use it two or three times before the starter motor gave up the ghost, at least the flat spot has been rectified - it's amazing how much more power the little Mog has developed. I have brought the starter back to Melbourne to be reconditioned so hopefully I'll get a good run out of the car after that. She was pleasantly surprised to see that it There has been a bit going on with our three was of her at a much younger, slimmer wheeler restorers - Chris Powell, Brian Richardson time, taken many years ago on one of her and Mike Devine are all highly motivated, it will be first dates with her husband. great when all the cars are on the road. When she showed him the photo, his face Life at Oxley Island has become even better since we lit up. found that there are five other Morgans within 30 "Wow, look at that!", he said with minutes of our place, so plans are afoot for an appreciation, informal gathering before Christmas. Maybe I will get to use the cars much more than we do down "That's my old ‘52 Drophead Morgan" here. I also attended a "car club" meeting on our last trip. The meeting went for the whole evening, there were no wives or partners there. It made me think about how lucky we are at Vicmog to have such informal meetings and a bigger emphasis on friendships - we should never get complacent or take this wonderful club for granted. So long as we have great office holders such as Ted, Brian, Bill, Ramsay and Frank etc in the club we are in good hands for the future. 3 SECRETARY'S REPORT Hi Esteemed Members A quiet Morgan month has gone by with too much rain and cold weather. Anyone would think it had been winter. With our lucky President Chris retiring north to warmer climates, it is time to ask our loyal members to consider offering their services at the December AGM, when all the Committee roles are up for renewal. Gee, I’ve survived three years as secretary. Once I couldn’t spell the word secretary, and now I is one! So don’t feel backwards in coming forwards, any input is appreciated and welcomed adventure to South Australia that coincided with the from any member old or new. once in a hundred year storm. As you can see from the photograph, the puddles are quite deep, and I had to be winched out with six inches of water inside the car. I’ll never complain about a little rain in the 4/4 anymore. Oh well, time for its first service! Look forward to seeing you all at the October Club meetingwhich is being held at our place in Lysterfield on Sunday the 16th. Please let me know asap if you are coming, as I need to hire table and chairs. My email is [email protected] Kind regards Ted Houston Well ,Karma has struck a deadly blow. I usually reserve the last Thursday of the month for the glorious Morgan Pensioner run, but this month agreed to go with some mates on a 4wd camping Visit www.macedonrangesgrandtour.com.au for more details. 4 Looking a bit further out, we have a few dates for your diary. NOVEMBER 5-6 Nov VHRR Weekend at Sandown The Victorian Historic Racing Register is having a SOCIAL SECRETARY'S REPORT weekend event on the 5th and 6th of November. Check out their web site for more details at: Hopefully the following weeks may give us clear skies www.vhrr.com/wp/sandown and sunny conditions for better Morgan touring conditions. Here is what's coming up on the Morgan They have sent me discounted passes which I will front. bring with me to Ted's on the 16th October. OCTOBER Sunday 13 NOV - VICMOG Meeting/BBQ Sunday 16 Oct - VICMOG Meeting/BBQ at Mike and Alison’s home at Mt Martha When: 12:30pm Thursday 24 Nov RDO Lunch run Where: Bev and Ted's home at: 16 SHERWOOD WAY LYSTERFIELD. DECEMBER Bring: your own meat, salads and drinks. Sunday 11 Dec Christmas BBQ / AGM at Warwick and Paulette’s home at Coldstream Coffee, biscuits and cakes will be supplied by your hosts. 2017 RSVP: Important!!! RSVP to Ted no latter than 12th of October by email to: [email protected] There are a few events coming up next year that you or text to: 0438717303 really need to get your registration in now if you would like to attend. These are: Tuesday 25 Oct to 28 Oct - High Plains Drifter Sunday 5 Feb 17 The Great Australian Rally The RDO Lunch run for October has been replaced with the High Plains Drifter run Check out: www.greataustralianrally.com.au Day 1 (25th) is the start of our High Plains Drifter 19-25 Mar 17 The RACV Fly The Flag run and will take us to Milawa via the King Valley Alpine Tour where we will stay at LINDENWARRAH for the Check out: www.abccc.com.au/FTF/ evening Saturday 1 Apr 17 The GREAT Macedon Day 2 (26th) will allow for those who wish to test Grand Tour their skills on a drive up to Mt Buffalo or else a Check out: leisurely drive via Beechworth and Myrtleford to www.macedonrangesgrandtour.com.au Tawonga ( Mt Beauty ) staying at the Mountain Creek Motel, Ryders Lane, Tawonga Happy Morganing to all Day 3 (27th) will see us tick off a unique bucket list item as we travel over the alps on the magnificent Great Alpine Road to Metung via Omeo where we are Cheers staying at The Moorings. Day 4 (28th) is a lesiurely run back to Melbourne, Biggles (Bill) Emerson Full details of the itinerary will be forwarded in the next two weeks to those who have put their names down as attending this great VICMOG event 5 Great Australian Rally RALL YING FOR A CURE 2017 Melbourne to Mornington Sunday 5th February 2017 6 The best songs of all time 7 The VICMOGGER AND THE VP by A former President and Life Member of the Club On July 17th this year I was required to make a speech. The last sentence of that speech will remain with me for a long time. “It is now my privilege to introduce the Vice President of the United States of America Mr Joe Biden”. The story behind this sentence. I am writing this as a chronicle of what happened, as it actually happened, without any garnishing. I joined the committee of the Ivanhoe RSL a bit over 3 years ago. In one of the rooms that is not used I found a U.S. flag on a staff. It is a silk flag which means it is a ceremonial flag-not the type you see flying on flagpoles.